Restaurant equipment.



Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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Qbtowwd L. E. ZERBE. RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

APPLICATION FILED 00116, 1912. 1,081,358..-

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L. E. ZERBE.

RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 001210, 1912.

1,081,358. Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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L. E. ZERBE.

' RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 16, 1912.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH co wasumo'row. D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS E. znnsn, or FLINT, MICHIGAN.

RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. ZERBE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements inRestaurant Equipment, of which the following is a speoification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a construction and arrangement of devices forfacilitating the handling and washing of dishes and clearing and settingthe tables in the dining rooms of restaurants and similar eating houses,the same being adapted for very large dining rooms where it isespecially desirous to clear the tables with facility.

The object of the invention is to provide a suitable arrangement ofmovable tables and carriers, and means for actuating the same wherebythe tables are automatically cleared of dishes and the dishes conveyedto a central point for washing.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide suitable mechanism foractuating the tables and carriers so arranged that they may be actuatedin unison and in timed relation or may be separately actuated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of thesedevices whereby the same are adapted for installation in a large diningroom, and to provide certain other new and useful features, all ashereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is adiagrammatic View showing the installation and arrangement of devicesembodying the invention in plan view; Fig. 2 is an enlarged transversesection of the same on the line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a viewshowing the dish washing apparatus in side elevation and a verticalsection through the kitchen portion of the mechanism; Fig. 1 is anenlarged detail showing the driving mechanism and adjacent parts in planview; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal. section through one of the movabletables; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same; Fig. 7 is anenlarged detail showing one of the tables in dumping position; and Fig.8 is a sectional detail of the intermittent gear on the line X-X of Fig.4.

The floor or space within a suitable building is divided by a partition1 into a dining room at one side of the partition and a Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed October 16, 1912.

Patented Dec. 16,1913. Serial No. 726,142.

kitchen at the opposite side. This wall or partition is provided withopenings 2 and any desired number of rows of movable tables 3 areprovided to be moved by suitable mechanism hereinafter described,through the openings in the wall to convey the dishes and remnants of ameal from the dining room into the kitchen. The tables comprising eachrow are preferably of a length to accommodate four people, two at eachside thereof seated upon suitable stools 4 and these tables are placedend to end in a continuous row and guided by means of channel bars 5secured upon the upper ends of suitable supporting brackets G fastenedto the floor. The tables are connected by means of a link chain 7passing beneath them at their longitudinal center, and each table issecurely bolted at its transverse center line to a flanged link 8 of thechain to move there with to and around sprocket wheels 9 which arepositioned within the kitchen at the end of each row of tables. Thesesprocket wheels 9 are secured upon a shaft 10 which is driven in themanner hereinafter described and when the sprockets are turned thechain. travels around the sprocket carrying the tables therewith throughan opening in the floor 11 and beneath the same. The chain passes oversuitable guide pulleys 12 and 13 located at the end of each row oftables opposite that at which the sprocket wheel is positioned and atightener 1 1 located beneath the floor is provided to keep a tension onthe chain. This chain may comprise a section of sprocket chain which isslightly longer than the length of the row of tables and a section ofcable connecting the ends of the link pth'tion of the chain and passingover the pulleys.

Located within the kitchen at the end of each row of dining tables is aninclined chute 15 with its lower end supported adjacent to one side andthe upper run of a continuous traveling carrier 16 which is preferablyformed of a suitable wire netting. The upper run of this travelingcarrier or belt rests within a suitable guide trough 17 and the carrieris supported. at each end by suitable wheels or sprockets 18 mountedupon transverse shafts 19 and 20 supported in hearings on suitablebrackets fastened to the floor.

Located midway of the length of the kitchen is a stationary receivingtable 21 positioned slightly below the plane of the upper run of thecarrier 16 to receive the articles from the carrier, there being two ofthese carriers in the kitchen and two receiving tables located adjacentto each other so that the dishes from all of the several rows of diningtables throughout the length of the dining room are conveyed by thecarriers 16 to a central point in the kitchen and deposited upon thesereceiving tables 21 which are positioned a short distance apart andadjacent to a suitable pit 22 in the floor in which the operators standwhile picking up and removing the remnants of the meal deposited uponthe receiving tables. Within the pit 22 is located a bracket 23 securedto the floor of the pit and provided with bearings at its upper end forshafts upon which are secured two pairs of sprocket wheels 2% engaged bytwo endless sprocket chains 25 which serve as carriers for a series ofbaskets 26 into which the dishes from the table 21 are packed by theoperators. By suitable driving mechanism to be hereinafter described,the chain is driven and intermittently stopped with two of the basketscarried thereby between the tables 21 with their upper edgessubstantially in the plane of said tables. hen two of the baskets havebeen filled the chain is moved to bring the next two baskets into placeand the filled baskets pass vertically upward, thence horizontally ashort distance with the chains engaging idlers 27 to support the chainsand the weight of the filled baskets. The baskets travel horizontally toa point directly above a suitable washing tank 28 which is supplied withhot water through a supply pipe 29 and is provided with a dischargeoutlet 30. The chains then pass vertically downward within this tankover idlers 31 located near the bot-- tom thereof and thus the basketsare immersed in the water contained in the tank and then lifted out andcarried horizontally to a point above a second tank 84: in which theyare immersed in a like manner, said tanks having a common water supplypipe and like outlets. A third or rinsing tank is supported with itsbottom substantially in the plane of the upper ends of the tanks 28 and8st and the pipe 29 is connected to the outlet at the bottom of thistank so that the hot rinsing water contained in the tank 32 may be letout into the washing tanks to supply the same with washing water. Fromthe tank 8 1- the chains carry the baskets vertically upward to pointabove the tank 32, said chains passing over idlers and thence downwardinto the tank 32 over idlers 31 the same as in the other tanks andvertically out of the tank again to immerse the baskets and the washeddishes contained therein in very hot water. From the tank 32 the chainpasses horizontally for a short distance over suitable idlers and thencevertically downthe carrier chains 25.

ward and around idlers 33 mounted upon a bracket 34 secured to areceiving table 35 where the baskets of clean dishes are disconnectedfrom the chains and empty baskets hung thereon in their place. Afterpassing around the idlers 33 the chain passes vertically upward, thencehorizontally over other idlers 27 to a point directly above thesprockets 24 and around said sprockets making a complete circuit andbring empty baskets into position adjacent to the receiving tables 21 tobe filled therefrom.

Obviously dish Washing mechanism of any suitable construction may beinstalled and the dishes conveyed thereto by the carriers 25 from thereceiving tables 21, the particular mechanism shown in Fig. 3 being toillustrate one form of dish washing mechanism, the same forming no partof this invention. In order to prevent breakage of dishes it isnecessary to move the dining tables in timed relation to the movement ofthe carriers 16 so that one table of each of the rows of tables will besimultaneously dumped to deposit the dishes thereon through the chute 15simultaneously upon the carrier 16 and the actuating mechanism for saidrows of tables will then stop long enough to permit the dishes sodeposited upon the carrier to be conveyed thereby to the receiving tableand packed in the baskets before the next table of each row is dumped.It is also necessary to provide suitable mechanism for intermittentlyactuating the carrier chains 25 to bring the pairs of baskets intoposition opposite the receiving tables and hold them there a sufiicientlength of time to permit the operators to fill the baskets with dishesfrom these tables. An intermittent movement of the-carrier chains isalso necessary to permit the removal of the filled baskets therefrom andthe placing of empty baskets in position. Any suitable mechanism for soactuating the several parts may be provided but as an illustration ofsuch a mechanism the diagrammatic plan view of power transmittingmechanism is shown in Fig. 4:- In this figure a suitable electric motoris indicated at 4A for actuating a. drive shaft 45 which is providedwith a worm d6 to transmit motion therefrom to a worm gear 17 securedupon a shaft 48 eX- tending at right angles thereto and toward thebracket 23 forming the support for the sprocket wheels 2 1 which engageand drive On the end of this shaft 18 is a sprocket 49 engaged by a suitable sprocket. chain for transmitting motion from the shaft to a similarsprocket wheel secured upon a stop shaft 50. The opposite end of theshaft 50 is provided with a sprocket 51 engaged by the sprocket chainfor transmitting motion therefrom beneath one of the receiving tables toa sprocket Wheel 52 secured upon the end of the shaft 20 carrying thewheels 28 over which one of the carriers 16 passes. Sprockets andsprocket chain similar to the sprockets 51 and 52 are provided fordriving the other carrier 16 at the opposite side of the dish washingmechanism and motion is transmitted from the shaft 48 to actuate saidcarrier by means of a gear 53 which is loose upon said shaft engaging agear 54L secured to the sprocket wheel 51. The hub of the gear 53 isformed with teeth adapted to be engaged by a clutch member 55 splinedon, the shaft L8. By suitable lever mechanism indicated at 56, the gear5% may be thrown out of mesh with the gear and thus the carrier driventhereby thrown out of operation. Motion is transmitted from the shaft-48 to drive the sprocket wheels 24 and carrier chains engaged thereby,by a pinion 57 on a short shaft 58 which pinion is in engagement withthe gear 53. On the end of the shaft 58 is secured one of the sprocketWheels 24 at the inner side of the baskets and a gear 59 is also securedon said shaft adjacent to the sprocket to be engaged by an intermediategear 60 secured upon. a shaft 61 which extends across between the twocarrier chains 25 and has a bearing at its outer end in the bracket 23.The other sprocket wheel of the pair 2 f which engages the chain at theinner side of the baskets, is provided with a gear 62 in engagement withthe gear 60 and thus the sprockets of the pair are driven at the samerate of speed and in the proper direction. The pair of sprocket wheels9A which are mounted on the bracket 23 to drive the carrier chain at theouter sides of the baskets, are driven by means of a pinion similar tothe pinion 60 on the shaft 61 engaging gears attached to the sprocketwheels. The two carrier chains 25 are each positively driven by twosprocket wheels and. the two pairs of sprocket wheels are so driven thatthey turn in unison. The transmission of motion from the shaft 48 todrive the carrier chains 25, may be stopped by moving the clutch out ofengagement with the gear 53 shown and this clutch is moved by means ofan arm 63 secured upon a longitudinally movable shaft 6% and this shaftis moved endwise by means of any suitable lever mechanism 65.

The shaft 10 upon. which large sprocketwheels 9 are mounted foractuating the dining tables, is turned intermittently in timed relationto the n'iovemei'lt of the carriers 16 by means of a mutilated orintermittent gear (36 which transmits motion through in termediate gears67 and 68 to a gear 69 secured upon said shaft 10. This intermittentgear receives motion from the shaft d8 by means of a beveled gear 70 onthe end of the shaft 71 to which the intermittent gear is secured, saidbeveled geartbeing in engagement with a like gear 72 secured upon asleeve 73 on the shaft 48. This sleeve is free to turn upon the shaftbut may be directly connected thereto by means of clutch members 7th oneof which is secured to the shaft and the other splined to the sleeve tomove longitudinally thereof. TV hen the clutch members 7% are engagedmotion at a comparatively high speed is transmitted to the shaft 10 toturn the same in a direction which will move the dining tables into thedining room from beneath the floor to which position they have beenpreviously carried in the ope 'ation of unloading. A slow motion istransmitted from the shaft 8 to turn the shaft 10 and move the diningtables into the kitchen where they discharge their loads and pass aroundthe sprocket wheels 9 beneath the floor; by providing a counter shaft 75which is geared to the shaft 48 at one end and is provided with a gear76 at its opposite end engaged by an idler gear 77 which in turn isengaged by a gear 78 splined upon the sleeve T3 and the hub of which isengaged by a shifting fork '79 secured upon a sleeve 80 movablelongitudinally upen the shaft 64. A like forked arm 81 is also securedupon the sleeve to engage the movable member of the clutch 'Y-l and thuswhen the sleeve 80 is shifted by means of suitable lever mechanism 82,the nu able clutch member and the gear 78 will be simultaneously moved,the one into operative position and the other out of operative position.The shaft 10 is preferably made in sections and the sections connectedby means of couplings 88 which may be uncoupled when it is desired tooperate certain sections of rows of dining bles and thus if the wholedining room is not used. it will not be necessary to operate all of thetables when unloading those which have been used. By this arrangen'ientof driving mechanism the dining tables are intermittently operated intimed relation to the movement of the carriers 16 and the dish washingapparatus is also actuated in timed relation to the carriers and thedischarge of dishes upon the receiving tables.

Obviously, other mechanism may be e1nployed to drive the several partsand operate them in timed relation and the construction arrangement andrelation of the dining tablcs, carriers and dish washing mechanism maybe changed without departing from the spirit of my 'ivcntion and I donot limit myself to the particular form or construction herein shown anddescribed.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is 1. Thecombination of a plurality of dining tables arranged end to end in acontinuous row and having smooth upper surfaces adapted to supportdishes, means for supporting and guiding said tables, means connectingsaid tables for moving the entire row longitudinally, a rotary member atone end of the row of tables around one side of which the tables arecarried by said means, a receiving member adjacent to said rotarymember, and power transmitting mechanism for actuating said connectingmeans and automatically stopping the same as each of the tables reachesa predetermined tilted position to discharge its load upon saidreceiving member during its travel around said rotary member.

2. The combination of a plurality of dining tables arranged in acontinuous row and having an upper surface on which dishes are adaptedto be supported, means for connecting said tables and moving the rowlongitudinally, a rotary member at one end of the row of tables aroundwhich the tables pass when moved by said means, an inclined chute, andmeans for automatically stopping said means for moving the row as eachtable is tilted in passing around said rotary member into alinement withsaid chute to discharge its lead thereon.

8. The combination of a row of dining tables having an upper surfaceupon which dishes are adapted to be supported, means for supporting andguiding said tables, a rotary member at one end of the row of tablesdownward around which the tables are adapted to pass, an inclined chuteadj acent the rotary member, and means for intermittently actuating thetables to stop each table in alinement with said chute as it travelsaround the rotary member.

4:. The combination of a row of separate dining tables arranged end toend, a chain for actuating the row of tables, to which each table isattached, a rotary member at the end of the row around which the chainpasses to move the tables horizontally and carry them downward andbeneath said member in an inverted position, means for intermittentlyoperating the chain to stop each table in an inclined position duringits travel around the rotary member, and an inclined chute having sidesextending at the sides of the tables and a bottom in alinement with thetables when tilted.

5. The combination of a plurality of par allel rows of dining tables, acarrier extending at right angles to said rows adjacent to one endthereof, means at the end of each row for consecutively tilting thetables, one at a time, means for actuating the carrier, and means forintermittently moving the several rows longitudinally.

6. The combination of dining tables arranged end to end in a series ofparallel rows, means for simultaneously moving the rows of tableslongitudinally, a carrier eX- tending horizontally adjacent to one endof the several rows of tables to receive dishes therefrom, means at saidend of each row for consecutively tilting the tables, a powertransmitting mechanism for actuating said carrier and moving the severalrows of tables longitudinally and intermittently.

7. The combination of a plurality of rows of movable dining tables, acarrier extending horizontally adjacent to the ends of said rows oftables to receive dishes therefrom, means for intermittently moving therows of tables, a fixed receiving table at one end of the horizontalcarrier, and means under the control of the operator for actuating thehorizontal carrier.

8. The combination of a plurality of rows of movable dining tables, acarrier extending horizontally adjacent to the ends of said rows oftables to receive dishes therefrom, an upwardly extending carrieradjacent to the end of the horizontal carrier and provided with meansfor holding dishes, and means for intermittently moving the rows oftables and actuating the carriers.

9. The combination of a plurality of rows of movable dining tables, acarrier extending horizontallv adjacent to the ends of said rows oftables to receive dishes therefrom, a fixed receiving table adjacent tothe end of said carrier, avertical carrier adjacent to the fixed table,and means for actuating the horizontal carrier and intermittently movingthe rows of tables and the vertical carrier.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEW 1S E. ZERBE. lVitnesses Lnwrs E. FLANDERS, ANNA M. Donn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

